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and you're fully awake. driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue. so if you suffer from middle-of-the-night insomnia, ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. ♪ to relieve their sore throats. oh, okay, you don't need to do that. but i don't want any more of the usual lozenges and i want new cooling relief! ugh. how do you feel?

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♪ whoa whoa whoa sweet love of mine ♪ a little g & r on the show? >> yeah. trends, by the way, often arrive in california ahead of other places. think hybrid cars, plastic bag bans, that all started in california. >> but some californians are sounding the alarm about one new trend. the state may have too few children in its future. they don't have enough kids. miriam hernandez of our los angeles station explains. >> reporter: like never before, a new baby is a bundle of joy for california's economy. a future worker. a future taxpayer, and a future buyer for your home. trouble is, there aren't enough women having babies. that spells potential crisis for the future of the state. >> i want to get married, have a career, all these things. most of my friends feel the same way. i think our generation wants to

wait longer. we don't really see ourselves with kids in our 20s. >> maybe it's the economy. people with making sure they have enough for themselves first. >> we peaked in california in 1990. >> reporter: dell myers from usc sees a convergence of troubling trends. on top of a declining birthrate, there is a growing senior population. that means a shortage of doctors and caregivers in the supply pipeline to serve the aging. >> basically, there's almost twice as many seniors now per working-age person, or there will will, than tha there have been traditionally. >> reporter: aggravating factors are declining education opportunities and a higher cost of living in california. fewer people are coming to the state, including undocumented workers. myers says the state needs all of them, including the dream act students. >> now they're going to say this. because without the immigrant

kids, we would be in a deep hole. >> reporter: a worst case scenario, an eroding tax base. the government demanding more from lower income people. and the future of this baby, a potential revolt. >> this boat won't float if that continues. >> reporter: miriam hernandez, abc news, eyewitness news. >> that's pretty fascinating. you wouldn't think that. i mean, a lot of countries have problems with not having enough babies, but you wouldn't think the state of california. >> in 2011, the u.s. had 63 births per 1,000 women. compare that to the baby boom generation, 122 births of women of child-bearing ages, 15 to 44. >> are you going to do your part? you've got two. >> i might. i've always wanted four. >> you better get going. >> my husband counts so i have three. it's one of the most heroic jobs in the world, walking into fire to do battle and save lives. >> up next, we'll see what a firefighter sees on the job and hear what he goes through in the

middle of an infer know. it's all from his perspective and it's all coming up on "world news now."

♪ goodness gracious, great balls of fire ♪ ♪ you came along and moved me honey ♪ finally this half hour, an extraordinary up-close look at one of the most dangerous jobs in america. this is one of our "favorite stories of the day." >> it comes from a young firefighter who wore a camera on his helmet for an entire career in greater detroit. abc's jorn schriffen has the story. >> reporter: this is what it's like to walk into a burning house. the first thing you feel, the scorching heat. temperatures can reach more than 500 degrees. you can feel the heat right through your fire suit. inside, it's noisy. it's disorienting. the smoke in your eyes. while one of the big fears is beneath your feet, while you

take each step, will the floor give way? >> if you're not safe, you can't really do a good job for the people yourself supposed to be helping out. so, that's always in your mind, your own safety. >> reporter: for a full year, 27-year-old scott ziegler filmed his day job, with a camera mounted on his helmet, capturing blaze after blaze near detroit, michigan. >> that could be on any fireman's helmet. >> reporter: he's been a firefighter since he was a teenager. he says his mother worries about him. he said he wanted to show people what it's really like inside a burning building. at a time when his department and others around the country are being forced to fight more fires with fewer resources. >> looking at it, you can kind of tell, that looks pretty dangerous, because it is. it is very dangerous. so if they can take anything away from it, maybe their town they live in is talking about cutting their funding. maybe they can look at that video and think those guys do a dangerous job. it seems to be that they might

need more people than less. >> reporter: it's a unique perspective with unique lessons to be learned. zeigler says it's crucial to plan ahead. >> people should have floor plans of their house. teach your kid if your house catches on fire, run drills so they can get out and not worry about anything else. >> reporter: get out and wait for help. help coming from ziegler and thousands of firefighters who put their lives at risk every day. and then come back for more. john schriffen, abc news, new york. >> wow. that's an amazing perspective. there's 800,000 volunteer firefighters. the whole reason he did this is to show what they have to do day in and day out, because they're fighting cuts in their particular county. in highland park. and they wanted to show the leaders there and officials this is what we go through on a day-to-day basis. >> unbelievable. you have to be in great shape. >> kudos. i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out

medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i looked at my options. then i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call now and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans, it helps pick up some of what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you thousands in out-of-pocket costs. to me, relationships matter. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. [ male announcer ] with these types of plans, you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. plus, there are no networks, and you never need a referral to see a specialist. so don't wait. call now and request this free decision guide to help you better understand medicare...

and which aarp medicare supplement plan might be best for you. there's a wide range to choose from. we love to travel -- and there's so much more to see. so we found a plan that can travel with us. anywhere in the country. [ male announcer ] join the millions of people who have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp, an organization serving the needs of people 50 and over for generations. remember, all medicare supplement insurance plans help cover what medicare doesn't pay. and could save you thousands a year in out-of-pocket costs. call now to request your free decision guide. and learn more about the kinds of plans that will be here for you now -- and down the road. i have a lifetime of experience. so i know how important that is. have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep.

and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

♪ all right, everybody, it's time for "the mix." i love this first one. it's brilliant. a software developer fired after his bosses learned that he outsourced all his work to china and spent all day in the office surfing the web. it's awesome. >> in the office? >> listen to this. he was called bob. they're not giving his name. he's in his mid-40s. family man. praised by his superiors for being the best software developer in the building. and he made hundreds of thousands of dollars outsourcing $50,000 a year of his own work to china and then submitting it. and they got on to him. they found out in a security breach that all his computer activity was originating in china. then they figured out the whole ruse. >> rob is actually outsourcing his job to us these couple of days. you have to outsmart the system. changing gears a little bit.

we're going to go down into the dumps for this story. if you've never had a nasty intestinal infection that you have had to deal with. >> paula? >> i'm serious. 14,000 people a year die in the united states from this. rather than treat it with an antibiotic, researchers in the netherlands say you can treat this with fecal matter from a healthy person. basically, it's a defecation transplant. >> it's a poop transplant. >> it's a pop poop-plant. basically, you take the healthy fecal matter from the healthy person and you transplant it into the person having all of these gastrointestinal issues. listen to this. >> this is a real story? >> it cured 15 of the 16 people who had recurring infections and antibiotics only cured 3 of 16. sporadically for years, this was

used as a last resort. >> that is amazing. if you're ever in a bind, i'll help you out. i'll donate. enjoy your breakfast, everybody. this is a good one. subway sandwich. they make that foot-long subway sandwich. a guy in australia took out a tape measure and found out it's only 11 inches. size matter, paula. >> shrinkage. >> it lit up on line. a lot of those jokes. like, just came out of the pool. play with it a little while and it will grow. these are are showing up online. but subway has not commented yet. but in fact, it's a -- >> speaking of shrinkage, you want to see your grandmother on a stripper pole? may be one of the oldest women strip dancers ever. this is a 60-year-old woman from china. she decided to take it up. because she liked the beauty and athleticism. her husband approved. but was concerned because of a previous back injury that she had.

this morning on "world news now" -- americans captured. >> armed terrorists ambush oil workers and abduct 20 people. this morning and u.s. officials are calling it a terrorist act. it is thursday, january 17th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm john muller in for rob nelson. >> and i'm paula faris. we'll have the latest on that attack in just a moment. but first some of the other stories we're following for you on this thursday morning. president obama unveiling his gun control plan. but he faces a pretty tough fight. what changes the president is proposing and how his ideas are being met. also this half hour, if you're kicking it with the energy drink, there's a new warning about some new drinks and what's in the can. we'll tell you all about that. tens of thousands of people are ending up in the hospital. emergency rooms are filling up after people drink this drink. what doctors say it's doing to your body. >> i think the mantra is everything in moderation, right?

>> absolutely. >> you shouldn't consume four in a short period of time. >> yeah. too much coffee makes you crazy. >> strong coffee makes me jittery, among other things. she's in her 40s but looks way younger. kelly ripa revealing a key beauty secret. why she says it makes her makeup artist's life a lot easier. i think it makes her perkier, too. does she ever have a bad day? >> she's unbelievable. she's super woman. first, new details on that hostage drama unfolding in the sahara desert. at least three americans are among those being held. >> abc's chief global affairs correspondent martha raddatz is traveling with the defense sec care, who is in italy, watching every move. >> reporter: secretary panetta says the u.s. will take all necessary steps to deal with this crisis. u.s. officials believing that as many as three americans are now being held but caution the numbers are fluid. it all began when 20 armed islamic militants, believed to be affiliated with al qaeda,

approached a group of oil workers. the attackers were reportedly heavily armed, driving in three unmarked vehicles. the oil workers were on a bus, headed to a nearby airport. there was a fight. security forces for the workers battled back. when the smoke cleared, at least one foreign worker was dead. others wounded. the terrorists then headed to the compound where the gas refinery workers live. while it is unclear how many foreign workers they seized, sources say it could be as many as 15 to 20. along with the americans, there are british, norwegian, french, and japanese workers, too. the attackers claim this is retaliation for the french-led invasion in the african nation of mali. the french are trying to stop an al qaeda-linked group from taking over that country. algerian troops have now surrounded the gas field where

the hostages are being held, but they are moving cautiously. secretary panetta compared the terrorists to 9/11 attackers who have little regard for innocent life. martha raddatz, abc news, rome. and president obama is piling the pressure on congress, urging lawmakers to pass his new gun control proposals. mr. obama had schoolchildren on stage with him yesterday as he called for a new assault weapons ban, background checks on virtually every gun sale, and restrictions on high-capacity ammunition clips and conceded that getting new gun laws passed is going to be tough. >> if responsible gun owners, if americans of every background stand up and say, enough. we've suffered too much pain and care too much about our children to allow this to continue then change will -- change will come. that's what it's going to take. >> the president also signed 23 executive actions, all meant to improve existing gun laws.

one of them makes more data available for background checks. one offers security for schools that want them. it is important to note that with those executive actions, policy directives are not needed for congressional approval, as well. so this is coming directly from the white house, directly from president obama's chair. he's cracking down. he wants to reinstate a ban on assault-style weapons. ban high-capacity magazines, which a small majority of americans approve of and a large majority want to see stricter laws when it comes to background checks and getting authorized. >> it's going to be a tough sell, no doubt about it. the president's new proposals facing uncertain future in the congress. the nra fighting against them before they were unveiled. the group's new add calls mr. obama an elitist hypocrite. because his children attend a school protected by armed guards. the white house called the ad repugnant and cowardly.

authorities are stepping up efforts to track down a serial bank robber who doesn't hesitate to use his assault weapon, a $100,000 reward being offered for tips leading to the arrest of the so-called ak-47 bandit. the suspect held up at least five banks last year in california, idaho and washington and he shot and wounded a police officer. the fbi believes that he's waiting to strike again. >> wow. the aurora, colorado, movie theater, the site of the massacre in july, is officially reopening today. 2,000 tickets are being handed out to the survivors of the massacre, hospital workers and first responders. some survivors and relatives of the 12 people kill plan to attend. others are boycotting the event. investigators in london are looking into whether the weather may have played a role in yesterday's deadly helicopter crash. the pilot and one person on the ground were killed, 13 others injured during the rush hour accident. it was overcast at the time with poor visibility. officials say it was a miracle that more people weren't killed.

and here at home, the faa has ordered all dreamliner aircraft grounded over the risk of battery fires. united is the only carrier flying the boeing 787. the faa says battery fires could result in damage to critical systems and structures on the aircraft. air india and two japanese airlines have also ordered them out of service. a bizarre story centering on notre dame line backer manti te'o. it seems his girlfriend and her death were all an elaborate hoax. the news was that his girlfriend died of leukemia. hours after his grandmother passed away, that news broke. now he admits she was an online girlfriend and a private investigation ordered by notre dame confirms that te'o was duped. >> the thing i am most sad of, sad about is -- sorry.

that the single most trusting human being i've ever met will never be able to trust in the same way again in his life. >> a notre dame source tells espn that te'o was not involved in creating the hoax. in a statement, he called the whole thing confusing and incredibly embarrassing. embarrassing to see the least. >> definitely. he called this woman, who he had never met in person. he chatted with her, texted with her, he talked via phone. he called her the love of his life. to have something like this -- you find this out. and think about this, too. the national championship game. he's playing this, and they continue to talk about the death of his grandmother and the emotions he played with after the alleged passing of his girlfriend. he knew at that time, the time of the national championship game, that he had been duped. because this information came out in december, and he approached notre dame and they

launched an investigation into the situation and found out. there was -- the photographs that were being used to replicate his girlfriend, that girl went to an investigator and said they're using these pictures of me and it's not me and that's how the ball started rolling there. >> strangest story. >> it really is. >> feel bad for him. >> you do. you have to. he's now preparing for the draft. hopefully he can move on. the head of the country's biggest bank when it comes to assets is taking a dramatic pay cut. jpmorgan chase is slashing the pay of ceo jamie dimon by more than half. so that brings it down from $23 million to $11.5 million. the move is response to the bank's staggering $6 billion trading loss last year. but a report from the bank places most of that blame on other executives. >> they cut our pay to $11.5 million, we're striking, paula. the nerve of that. can you imagine? >> what kind of winter sports do you like to partake in? >> i like to go south in the winter and play golf. that's what i like to do. i don't ski. i don't do a whole lot of anything. >> there's a new sport taking off.

an amateur daredevil in canada is attaching parachutes to snowmobiles. >> wow. that's an interesting one. ever tried that? >> i've never tried that. i have snowmobiled in the past. >> that looks highly dangerous. >> it looks cool though. >> willis says it looks stupid. stupid but cool. >> snowmobiles are pretty heavy. >> yeah, they are. >> that's rob. >> is that rob? and everyone visual iz, if you will, rob is with his girlfriend and her parents, they are skiing right now. >> skiing? >> who knows, maybe that really is rob. >> a visual that will warm you up. rob is para snowmobiling. or whatever that is called. something crazy. >> would you try it? >> no. i have children. maybe before i had kids i would have been dumb enough to try it. >> daredevil farris. all right, coming up, buried alive. a woman tells how she kept calm being trapped inside an avalanche. but first, the opposite of calm.

some say caffeine is the last frontier of unregulated dangerous drugs. but now a new push to crack down. it's all coming up on "world news now." ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by lunesta. have given way to sleep. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling

occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. and you'll dump your old duster. but don't worry, he'll find someone else. ♪ who's that lady? ♪ who's that lady? ♪ sexy lady ♪ who's that lady? [ female announcer ] swiffer 360 duster extender cleans high and low, with thick all around fibers that attract & lock up to two times more dust than a feather duster. swiffer gives cleaning a whole new meaning.

[ cat meow ] ♪ who's that lady? the rid-x septic subscriber program helps prevent backups by sending you monthly doses right to your door so you will never forget to maintain your system. sign up at rid-x.com. ♪ doing it with a cold, just not going to happen.

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rooms after drinking them. >> i guess i should be forewarned, i love energy drinks. >> do you really? >> but a new government survey finds that 20 thourk people went to the e.r. after downing energy drinks in 2011, twice as many as four years earlier. abc's lisa stark put herself to the test to show why. >> reporter: on youtube, downing these energy drinks is a game. lots of fun. >> on your mark, get set, go. >> reporter: but this new government study calls consumption of energy drinks a rising public health problem. of those 20,000 e.r. visits in 2011, 42% had mixed the energy drink with another stimulant like ritalin or with alcohol. but 58% reportedly used energy drinks alone. so what might be going on to send someone to the e.r.? >> blood pressure goes up, heart rate goes up and they'll start to feel the effects. heart racing, heart skipping.

panic attack symptoms. irregular heart rhythms. panic attacks. >> reporter: caffeine is a drug. the most popular drug in the world. you can feel and see the effects on the body. i downed the equivalent of about four cups. doctors took a look at my brain before caffeine. and here's after. the bloodflow dropped 40%. >> it's like a 40% drop in the blood flow to your brain. that's a lot. >> reporter: that lower blood flow is still within normal range. but those constricted vessels meant my blood pressure shot up. a cup of coffee alone won't send you to the e.r. and the most popular energy drinks have less caffeine than that strong cup of coffee you buy out. so what's going on here? >> there's other substances in here which are unregulated which can add to the stimulant nature of the drinks. >> reporter: the trade association representing the beverage industry said the drinks are safe and denounced the hospital study, saying the limited information makes it impossible to understand the actual role, if any, of energy drinks in these hospital visits.

still, doctors are calling for a whole lot more study. and are on the lookout for the next patient to come through the door. lisa stark, abc news, washington. >> wow. and the e.r. doctors seeing these folks that are consuming the energy drinks at a high level say they come in with irregular heartbeats, anxiety. and heart attacks. if i have too much caffeine, i can feel my heart palpitating. >> when i first started drinking coffee, i used to get that. i don't think it's possible for me to have too much caffeine anymore. but i used to get paranoid. i felt like i was being chased. >> my husband doesn't drink coffee but loves energy drinks. that's another market they're going after. >> there you go. coming up, kelly ripa revealing a secret to her younger look. it's all coming up. and he was shunned for an oscar nod. but find out how ben affleck could still have the laugh last at the academy awards. you're watching "world news now." you're watching "world news now." >> announcer: "world

>> academy awards -- oscars are february 24th in you're curious. >> are you all geeked up about the oscars? >> no. you know what? i don't get into all the awards ceremonies. >> you must be the only chick in the whole country. >> i know. horrible.

oh, this is sad, conrad sti real life and amazing father." he appeared on 179 episodes of "different strokes" which ran from 1978 to 1986. do you feel old now? >> i always feel old. that just reinforces the antiquated feeling. that was a classicing about, willis? >> and i loved that -- i felt like back in the day when we were growing up, they had shows that tackled social issues. >> he was so good in that, wasn't he? >> yeah. >> i loved that show. kelly ripa, i don't think she ever has a bad day. she's always perky in terms of her demeanor and her face. she admitted in a recent interview with "elle" magazine that she gets botox. is anybody shocked here?

i think everybody gets botox these days. she says she -- >> willis doesn't. i don't need it by the way. yet. >> she says every seven months, my eyelids droop down over my lashes. so it makes my makeup artist's life easier. i haven't had botox, but i've got about five wrinkles here induced by the children. i'm not opposed. maybe one day. maybe a little work one day. a lot of areas. >> right, when we get that big, huge contract some day. let's talk about shakira, she's showing off her baby bump. i think we have some pictures of this. check that out. pretty cool. >> that's lots of soccer balls in there. >> they're doing something very nice. they say instead of a baby shower, they want to give money to unicef. so if you want to donate and help children around the world, go online. >> very cool. she looks amazing. >> she does look great.

intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and you're fully awake. driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks.

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♪ ♪ i'm a survivor i'm gonna make it ♪ finally this half hour, this may take your breath away. in utah on saturday, an avalanche swallowed a back country skier, burying her in several feet of snow. >> but because so much went right after that, she's alive this morning and now she's telling her harrowing and brave story. here's reporter noah bond of our phoenix station. >> reporter: elizabeth malloy remembers vividly what it was like to be trapped inside a moving avalanche. >> i was flailing, yes. i was swimming. >> reporter: then the snow stopped. >> i decided the best situation for me is to meditate and breathe really slowly. >> reporter: when the snow settled, elizabeth's skiing partner, adam, found himself above the avalanche. elizabeth is alive today because

she was wearing an avalanche beacon and adam had a receiver. >> i immediately picked up the signal. and again, that reaffirmed that she was buried somewhere. >> reporter: after three passes, he found her in cement-like snow, face down, head down to the mountain. >> she had begun to turn purple. i did my best to clear out an area for her to breathe. >> reporter: moments after getting her out, elizabeth essentially died, her breathing stopped, but soon returned. adam pulled three jackets from elizabeth's backpack and put them on her body and wrapped her exposed foot in a down jacket she had. this saved her foot from permanent damage. her hands and feet were frozen so badly, blood flow stopped to the right fingers and toes. she was flown to the university of utah hospital after a two-hour hike out. she knows she nearly died, but she says getting so close to it was eerily calm.

>> it was like having a little nap and i remember being woken up by sweet kisses. >> what a story. >> she's so calm to tell about it, as well. >> what did she say? she said she felt a sense of serenity that took over her while she was under the snow. >> i think i would panic. and she created a pocket of air. so she could breathe. but they say even if you create that pocket, you only have about 10 to 15 minutes before you die because of carbon monoxide. >> exactly right. >> no cell phone service where that avalanche happened. but adam, the gentleman that was with her, found a spot and called rescuers. it took the helicopter two hours to find them. >> two calm, cool people. >> amazing. >> totally. >> namaste. >> that's "world news now" for this half hour. more from abc next. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news

this morning on "world news now" -- executive action. president obama takes immediate steps to toughen america's gun laws without needing congress. >> but his most far-reaching proposals will face a serious fight on capitol hill. it is thursday, january 17th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, everyone. i'm paula faris. good to be back in the swing of things. >> yeah, what, are you rubbing it in? she's back from the fun and the sun somewhere. >> do you smell me, the margaritas that is? the guacamole. i feel great. >> did you have a great time? >> had a great time. didn't have a chance to visit family over the holidays because we were working. >> you work, like, every holiday. >> so we decided to meet someplace warm. saw the inlaws, my parents. >> big south of the border reunion? >> it was. it was great. >> i'm john muller. rob nelson by the way is up in the snow. right? you went south, he went north. >> skiing.

>> so he's off for a few more days. let's talk about the president. promising to put everything he's got into a broad new gun control law. we'll hear his proposal and the challenges they face in a moment. also this half hour, americans held hostage. the u.s. weighing its options as a group linked to al qaeda holds dozens of foreigners, including americans, in algeria. and then, between a rock and a hard place. literally. how a woman got wedged in an incredibly tight spot, spending hours in an eight-inch gap before crews pulled off a delicate rescue. it's bizarre how she ended up there in the first place. >> did you see the look on her face when she got out? wow. later on, the hottest thing on the yoga mat. bikram yoga is booming business. but the controversial man behind it is feeling the heat. >> have you ever done that? >> no. i've done yoga, but not bikram. >> i've done it a couple of times. >> i was thinking you might want to hold your nose in that room. >> a lot of things can go wrong

in a 104-degree room with a lot of sweaty people. but first, gun control. president obama has put his proposals on the table and now the fight to get them made into law leads to congress. >> the president concedes enacting new gun laws will be difficult. abc's karen travers joining us from washington with more on this. good morning, karen. >> reporter: good morning, paula and john. after the sandy hook elementary tragedy, president obama said the nation needs to change. yesterday, he outlined what he's going to do and what he'll push congress to do to prevent future gun violence. the tragic deaths of 20 schoolchildren at sandy hook elementary made america pause and reconsider its relationship with guns. and with children who had written him letters about gun violence, president obama announced the most sweeping push for gun control in decades. >> this is our first task as a society, keeping our children safe. >> reporter: 11-year-old julia stokes wrote to the president. the only person she thought could make a difference. >> she said, i know that laws have to be passed by congress,

but i beg you to try very hard. julia, i will try very hard. >> reporter: he's going to have to. the president is up against a congress that's very reluctant to pass comprehensive gun control. to get the ball rolling, mr. obama signed 23 executive actions that don't need approval by lawmakers. they include -- strengthening the national criminal background check system and more federal research on gun violence. but the president said these are just first steps. >> congress, too, must act. and congress must act soon. >> reporter: and here's what he's pushing lawmakers to do. universal background checks on gun purchases. a ban of high-capacity magazine clips. and a renewed ban on those so-called assault weapons. gun rights advocates are gearing up for a bitter fight and believe congress won't enact stricter laws. but julia stokes believes her voice and those of children around the country can bring change to stop the violence. >> i think that my letter is going to do something.

>> reporter: republican lawmakers were skeptical of the president's plan and the nra said the president was attacking firearms and ignoring children. paula and john, back to you. >> all right, karen. just a taste of the opposition to the president's proposals there. a new ad from the national rifle association accuses mr. obama of being an elitist hypocrite because his daughters attend a school that is protected by armed guards. and the nra's president is promising that his group's members will hold any lawmaker accountable for supporting new gun restrictions. >> oh, it's going to be a battle. we're going to be there and we're going to fight it. >> and he said the group's new advocacy campaign, called stand up and fight, will only ramp up over the next few weeks and months. >> and gun control certainly the main topic of the latest edition of "time" magazine. take a look. former arizona congresswoman gabby giffords is on the cover with vice president joe biden

and new york city mayor michael bloomberg. they are being dubbed the gun fighters. >> everybody's got an opinion on this one. i stay away from it as soon as it comes up. >> a new abc/"washington post" poll, a strong majority of americans believe that background checks -- 88% support. and a small majority, 51% nationwide ban on semiautomatics. 55% support an armed guard in every school in the country. 58% a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons. so you can see americans, our views are changing, especially when it comes to these semiautomatic rifles and weapons. >> you get the feeling that change is in the air in that regard. >> and marco rubio said, in regards to the president's 23 executive actions, which is going to cost about $500 million, he said nothing the president is proposing would have stopped the massacre at sandy hook. he's targeting 2nd amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. the last two massacres we've had

in organize oregon and here in this one, the guns were stolen. >> lock up the guns, maybe a locking mechanism. if you buy a gun, you have to have a locking mechanism on it. you gotta lock 'em up. the defense secretary says the u.s. will take all necessary steps to deal the hostage crisis going on right now in algeria. at least three americans believed to be among the dozens of foreigners kidnapped by an al qaeda-linked group. the militants said the attack was in revenge for algeria's support of france's military attack in mali. in california, a fired middle school teacher that worked as a porn actress will not get her job back. a three-judge an in oxnard rejected her appeal to the return to the courtroom, saying she was unfit for service as a teacher. she lost her job last year after students found her starring in x-rarted films on the internet. >> hot for teacher?

>> no kidding. that could be a little distracting. wow. >> you would flunk that class. >> big time. a woman in portland, oregon, has quite a tale to tell after being trapped between two walls. firefighters had to cut through one of them to rescue her. she apparently had been smoking on the roof when she fell into that tight space between the building and one right next to it. after four hours of being stuck, she was finally freed. >> she worked really hard to help us get out of there. we used soapy water to lube up the sides of the walls and between us and her, she was getting out. >> the woman was taken to the hospital as a precaution. her rescuers said they train for a lot of strange rescue situations but never had one quite like that. i wonder if the pack of cigarettes fell down with her so she had something to do. >> eight hours, just lit up. >> it was only around 36 degrees at the time, so they had a large heater to keep her warm. >> all's well that ends well. that must have been awful, though. >> don't smoke on the roof. >> and don't fall through the

crack. >> right. here's a look at your thursday weather. major storm hitting the southeast and the mid-atlantic. washington, d.c. is going to start off to rain and switch to snow by the afternoon commute. heavy rain in atlanta and afternoon showers in orlando. >> fresh blast of arctic air keeping it cold in the midwest. fargo barely above zero after a cold start to the week, los angeles and phoenix going to warm up nicely. much warmer than usual in miami at 83 degrees. >> somewhere it's a lot warmer speaking of -- >> of? >> australia. it's usually hot down under. but it hit the boiling point yesterday for yerzi yankovic. >> he admits going nuts after what he thought was a bad call. maybe he was channeling his inner john mcenroe. >> he lost the first set tiebreaker. yankovic continued by hitting the umpire's chair. shouldn't that be grounds for -- what is he saying? >> i was wondering if he was

speaking in english. he's saying, what'd i do? tell me. >> he threw a water bottle across the court, calmed down enough to win the match in five sets. that's the what we call a tennis tantrum. >> it's still not mcenroe-esque. but that was decent. that gets honorable mention in the tantrum department. >> someone translate that for us. >> oh, my god, oh, my god. >> thank you. >> at least he didn't drop any f bombs or anything like that. >> what would that be, flunk? >> that would be, um -- fudge. >> flunk. >> fair. >> willis approves fudge. thank you, willis. moving along, before we dig ourselves in deeper, reaching for the stars, or at least mars. we'll tell you about nasa's new project and how it requires worldwide support. and later. taking heat. some say the man who popularized hot yoga could use some deep breathing himself. we'll tell you all about it. you're watching "world news now."

♪ come on let's strut baby let the music take control ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by just for men mustache and beard.

have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

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♪ i'm a rocket man rocket man burning out his fuse up there alone ♪ whoo! >> oh, i love that song. willis, would you like to keep singing? please don't. we'll spare all of you. >> memories! when nasa begins its exploration of deep space to the moon or mars or anywhere beyond

earth's orbit, or our minds' comprehension, it won't be going alone. >> european partner, the esa, will provide the service module to propel the spacecraft to its destination. kevin quinn of our houston affiliate has details from the johnson space center. >> reporter: when nasa's next generation space launch system finally takes off, it will look something like this. the module powering the orion capsule after separation will be made not by nasa but primarily by the european space agency. >> we're building a system that will allow us to go explore those. we no longer want to build the system that is optimized for one particular destination. >> reporter: it's the part of the spacecraft that provides propulsion, power, and cargo room, attached just below the capsule. it will be based on technology already developed by the esa and will free up lockheed martin to work on other things for the program rather than build the module.

the price tag on the initial price tag is around 150 million euros, or $200 million. >> this is the start of an extended cooperation and of course, we can imagine that in the further path, we can expand on that. >> reporter: this is proof that the exploration of deep space is becoming an international endeavor. there is still much uncertainty, though, as to where that might take us. to an asteroid, the dark side of the moon, or mars. but with this vehicle, nasa says we will be able to get there. >> you don't design a car to just go to the grocery store. you design a car that can go to the grocery store, go to the shopping mall, maybe drive across the country, you know, do other things. >> i want my car to go to mars. >> to mars. >> mm-hmm. >> manned mission to mars, that would be really cool. >> my car doesn't have a bumper right now by the way. oh, lookit! rocket muller. i'm going to get you a train. >> where am i, on another planet there?

>> the other studio. >> i'm a rocket man. >> that's our other studio. that's space studio. that's a good look for you, by the way. >> not bad. >> ladies can fantasize about that now. >> there you go. you mean they're not already? >> sorry. we know what your holiday card is going to be next year. to infinity and beyond. with me. >> mm-hmm. up next, he says he's a healer. but critics say bikram's a bully. >> why some say why the man who brought hot yoga to the masses might need to cool it down. we'll tell you all about it. looks like a speedo or something. >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations. ♪ salad on saturday ♪ fruit on friday ♪ throw a ball thursday ♪ water, water wednesday ♪ touch your toes tuesday ♪ ♪ let's move monday ♪ swap a snack sunday announcer: 60 minutes of physical activity a day and eating well can help get your child healthy. so keep them active and eating well every day.

get ideas. get involved. get going at letsmove.gov. that's letsmove.gov. ♪ everybody dance now ♪ party people in the house ♪ rock me all night here we go. yoga may be especially appealing on these cold january days. hot yoga pioneered by a

world-famous guru with studios around the world. >> let's see the downward dog. >> not now. not never. >> the man behind the hot yoga is getting himself in hot water for behavior critics call far from enlightened. hear's abc's david wright. >> reporter: that guy in a speedo has literally made millions off the sweat of others. bikram choudry pioneered hot yoga. 26 poses performed in excruciating 105-degree heat. why the heat? >> very simple. if you take a piece of steel to your blacksmith and say, can you make it nice? what is the first thing he's going to do? >> reporter: fire up the kiln, heat it up. >> that's it. >> reporter: it's eastern mind discipline meets western mind. a booming business.

bikram rks inc. his name is a trademark. his routine copyrighted. the groom's yoga college of india is franchised just like mcdonald's. he started off 40 years ago in beverly hills as a sort of yogi to the stars. among these michael jackson, shirley mack clan, and martin sheen. you've built an empire. >> yep. why not? half a billion people have been benefited directly and indirectly from around the globe. >> reporter: half a billion? >> half a billion people, benefited. >> reporter: he's certainly benefited. he has a warehouse of luxury cars. >> and i restore it. make two movies with this car. >> reporter: his hobby is restoring them. perfecting them, the same way he perfects people's bodies with his yoga. >> exactly the way row rebuild a car, the same way i rebuild a human body. >> reporter: he insists it won't just improve your body and invigorate your sex life, he claims it saves lives.

but this american guru now has uniquely american problems, forcing him to defend his lucrative yoga practice in court. >> the american way. make bikram yoga. copyright, trademark, franchising, patent. the justice department, the government will protect you the american way. >> reporter: yoga to the people is one of four groups he's sued for copyright infringement. the rival school was founded by his former protege, greg. that's him in the photo standing there. you say this fellow is a thief? >> definitely. he was my student. i trained him. then he get greedy. >> reporter: he says the very idea of copyrighting a 5,000-year-old hindu discipline is absurd. >> it would be like if arnold schwarzenegger said i'm going to do five bench presses, six curls, seven squats, call it arnold's workout and nobody can teach that without my permission. that's crazy to me. >> reporter: after our

interview ts, but before the case went to trial, the two men abruptly settled. last month, another yoga school convinced a judge that the sequence of poses is not copyright-able. the judge ruled they were not lie liable. >> i'm the most spiritual man you ever met in your life. but today, you are not old, educated, smart, intelligent, wise, experienced enough to understand who i am. maybe one of these days if you practice bikram yoga, you will understand that. >> reporter: maybe so. >> yes. not today. >> reporter: an american guru on the hotseat. i'm david wright in beverly hills. >> on the hotseat, but making the koolt -- cool amount of money. >> i'm going to copyright this move. everyone anchor in america is going to have to pay me.

have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities

while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

♪ ♪ wasn't i feeling a life jacket in clothes ♪ paula faris back from vacation, looking tan, having a good time in the sun in mexico. >> yeah, this isn't a spray tan or tanning lotion. had a great time with my family. i keep saying hola to everybody. i just got in a couple of hours ago, came straight to work. but it was my parents and my in-laws. people think i'm crazy. >> everybody got along? >> everybody got along. my in-laws and parents actually flew down there together to meet us. but we didn't get to see them at the holidays, so this is like our belated holiday trip. we have some photos to show you. senorita carolina. that's my little girl. >> how old? >> she's 5. >> cutie pie. >> she is. this is what i get to look forward to.

my husband on the right, that's his father on the left, so that's going to be him in a few years. and that's my son. three generations right there. they all look alike a little bit. kind of thin. >> put a beard on all three of them, they look-a-like. >> that was actually taken just yesterday morning. i was someplace warm. that's an iphone for you. looks like a professional photographer. that's my mother and my little guy, j.j., peering out over the ocean. i can't even describe to you, it was literally paradise. didn't have to cook a meal, didn't have to clean up. you can just go tanning, drink margaritas. that's probably tequila you still smell on me. and i'm green from all the guacamole. my in-laws. we had a nice little time where we took some photos. we had a photographer there, we hired somebody. we may never have this again with all of us there. you think about the time, our parents are in their 70s. the best moment of the whole vacation, i hope we have this photo, was me and all the 70

somethings -- well, this is my folks. we'll get to that photo in a moment. me and all the 70 somethings in the pool doing water aerobics right here. we were crying tears, because it was so funny. all the 70-somethings are doing gangnam -- i don't know what we were doing. but it was a good time. >> it looks terrific. what part of mexico were you in? >> riviera maya. just got back a couple hours ago. >> doid you did you get to see the ruins? >> are you kidding me? i could eat guacamole breakfast, lunch and dinner. >> you eat nachos? >> i eat everything. >> welcome back. >> and on that note, buenos noches, amigos. nochos, amigo. l activity

not only helps kids stay healthy, it can enhance important skills, like concentration and problem solving, which can improve academic performance. th means physical activity can help your kids in the most important game of all -- life.

this morning on "world news now" -- hostage drama in the desert. americans are among dozens kidnapped and seized by militants in algeria. >> and new details coming in on the shadowy terrorist linked to al qaeda and believed to be behind this attack. it is thursday, january 17th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning, i'm john muller in for rob nelson. >> and i'm paula faris. the u.s. is weighing its response and its options to the kidnappings in algeria. we're going to hear what the secretary of defense is saying in a moment. also this half hour, serious new plane problems for boeing. the faa ordering all 787 dreamliners in this country grounded until they're proven safe. we'll tell you why. then the heartbreaking notre dame football star that turned out to be blarney. what we heard about standout linebacker manti te'o's girlfriend dying of leukemia was actually an elaborate hoax. we'll tell you all about it.

a sad story. >> it's saddening to think that someone would actually be this malicious. >> yeah. >> yeah. later, what it is really like to put your life on the line, fighting fires. the firefighter who spent a year with a camera on his helmet just to give us all a better idea of what a day in the life is like. >> yeah. but first, we're going to talk about the new details on the standoff between the algerian army and the militant group holding dozens of hostages. mostly foreigners. >> at least three americans are believed to be among those kidnapped in yesterday's attack. defense secretary leon panetta says the u.s. will take all steps necessary and proper to deal with the crisis. >> by all indications, this is a terrorist act. and the united states strongly condemns these types of terrorist acts. it is a very serious matter when americans are taken hostage along with others. >> algeria's top security

official says there will be no negotiating with the hostage takers, raising the possibility of an armed assault to free those captives. we're learning more about the terror group believed to be behind this attack. >> the masked brigade was founded by an algerian whose name has been on the terror radar for quite some time. our chief investigative reporter brian ross is on the case. >> reporter: makthar al makthar was kicked out of al qaeda just last year, because it was thought he was more interested in making money as a criminal than in pursuing the islamic agenda. he has the nickname of mr. marlboro, because he runs smuggling routes through this region carrying cigarettes, diamonds, drugs, and has made millions kidnapping westerners. we've been told for years now to watch out for this man because he's accumulated such wealth it makes him a real threat to carry out these kinds of attacks. >> because they believe the attack was so well-organized and orchestrated, they think this

was -- that they have been planning this for some time. it wasn't just something that they planned in short order. but this particular bp oil field, there's 700 local staff and contractors at the facility. and 20 international bp staff and contractors. but they're not going to divulge names or how many people are actually -- because that number could go up or down. just for their safety. they want to keep those -- >> apparently 20 fighters carried out this attack and this abduction. the gas field is owned by the foreign governments of britain and norwegian companies who run it also with algeria. >> so we just hope that that situation can get rectified in the safest way possible. and expeditiously. our other major story this morning is the growing nightmare for boeing's dreamliner. air india becomes the latest carrier to ground the airliner

because of safety questions. late yesterday, the faa took all dreamliners here in the u.s. out of service. abc's jim avila is joining us with more. jim? >> reporter: john and paula, this is a huge blow to boeing. this is the federal government telling the airline that they cannot fly this plane until they fix the problem with the battery. united is the only carrier flying the 787 so far. the plane of the future is expected to dominate american skies soon. but right now only six are flying. there are 50 total in the world. most in japan. and japanese authorities grounded all of their 787s after a battery warning light and the smell of smoke forced an emergency landing. panicked passengers were evacuated in emergency chutes. three people suffered minor injuries. but most damaged is the reputation of america's largest plane manufacturer. both boeing and united replied with statements last night. united saying they'll immediately come -- comply and

will work with boeing and the government on a technical review. boeing said that we're confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity. john and paula? >> all right, jim, thank you. the president of the national rifle association tells abc news that his group is aggressively preparing for battle against president obama's new gun control proposals. with children on stage there, mr. obama calling on congress to pass the new assault weapons ban, restrictions on ammunition magazines, and mandatory background checks for just about every gun purchased. those proposals face an uncertain situation in congress. now to a terrifying ordeal for a family near houston coming face to face with a gun-toting carjacker. the mom had just pulled into a walmart when a gunman yanked her out of her truck and drove off with her 7-year-old daughter in the back seat. after the woman started streaming for help, the carjacker opened the door, tossed the kid out, and sped away in the family's pickup. if you believe references online right now, we're going to

learn more today about a hoax against the notre dame line backer. his girlfriend, who was said to have died in september, didn't exist. the bizarre details from abc's michael barr. >> reporter: manti te'o, notre dame's star linebacker, now the victim of an incredible hoax. last september, he mourned the death of both his grandmother and the person he called the love of his life, jenae, just six hours later. >> the last thing she said to me was, i love you. >> reporter: keeping his promise not to miss a game. he played that day. he talked openly about his double loss. >> my older brother called me and he was just crying and crying and crying. that's when i kind of knew but i was still in denial. >> reporter: now it turns out lenae did not exist. the story was first reported on the sports news website deadspin. notre dame admitted it had launched an investigation in december and determined in early january that te'o was the victim of a hoax. >> this was a very elaborate, very sophisticated hoax,

perpetrated for reasons we can't fully understand, but had a certain cruelty at its core. >> reporter: he said te'o's relationship was online and over the phone. they never met. he said te'o has been tragically impacted by these events. >> the thing i am most sad of, sad about is -- sorry. that the single most trusting human being i've ever met will never be able to trust in the same way again in his life. >> reporter: manti te'o is expected to talk about the hoax in the next few days. michael barr, abc news, new york. >> he found out about this before he played in the national championship game. he found out in december, and then went to notre dame. they launched a full investigation and the woman who was portrayed to be his girlfriend, he met this girl online, a girl. and had conversations with her. never met her in person.

but the pictures that were being used, they are a girl, but it's not the girl that was -- portrayed to be his -- >> and she saw them and said, what's going on here, right? >> she saw them and went to a gentleman and had him launch an investigation to kind of get to the bottom of this because she's like, they're using my pictures without my consent. >> he says he's very embarrassed. and i don't blame him. >> you can't blame him. but you feel bad that his trust has been broken. take advantage of an innocent human being like that. let's talk about one more note about college football. after tons of rumors and speculation, chip kelly is now the former coach of the oregon ducks. since the season ended, he was going to the nfl, then he wasn't. and now kelly's been announced as the new coach of the philadelphia eagles. first he said he was staying in oregon after flirting with three nfl teams. he did change his mind. going to the eagles. >> mm-hmm. going to the eagles. maybe he can have a better -- what were they, 2-14? 3-13?

>> they had a rough season. not sure. >> bad. >> yes, bad. here's a look at your weather for thursday. jackson, mississippi, could wake up to 4 inches of snow. as a major storm hits there. in the southeast, rain from tallahassee to columbia, south carolina. heavy fog in seattle and salt lake. >> i think they were 4-12. we're going to continue to talk about that to rub salt into the wounds of one of our producers. suzanne, who is a big philadelphia fan. temperatures in the southwest have bounced back. phoenix in the upper 60s. dallas, 55. a few degrees warmer than usual. and in the northeast, with boston at 40. there's a saying in the tv industry that basically says if the shot didn't go in, we wouldn't show it to you. in that spirit, we offer this. check this out. >> okay, yes. you see. it's a full-court shot. the kid's name is udi lane. how about that? hey, udi! one more time. >> way to go, udi. >> he's at clearlake high school in california.

>> check this out. >> at the end of the third quarter. >> he's like three feet from the baseline and a banker. >> banked right in and his team went on to win the game by a point. not bad. >> by a point. >> and that's actually phenomenal camera work, too. they had to pan out. >> and then right back to the guy to celebrate. >> this is professional camera work at a high school game. >> you're right about that. >> maybe they should apply here. >> that's like a touchdown pass. >> maybe they could do a better job than willis. willis, can you frame us up a little bit? >> oh, willis is the man. he would have done that, right, willis? >> oh, the zoom out! >> i'll show you some things. >> i'll show you a couple things, willis. >> don't make enemies with willis. behind that camera. up next, the unusual shortage in california. they need more children. >> they need more children. >> more children? >> they need more kids. more cow bell. and later, an amazing look at how some of the heroes in our communities do their jobs. an inside look at the dangers faced by firefighters every day, coming up on "world news

now." ♪ i changed my mind, your love is fine, goodness gracious great balls of fire ♪ ♪ kiss me baby mm so good >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by intermezzo. news now" weather brought to you by intermezzo. and go back to sleep. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo

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♪ whoa whoa whoa sweet love of mine ♪ a little g & r on the show? >> yeah. trends, by the way, often arrive in california ahead of other places. think hybrid cars, plastic bag bans, hi-tech industry, that all started in california. >> but some californians are sounding the alarm about one new trend. the state may have too few children in its future. they don't have enough kids. miriam hernandez of our los angeles station explains. >> reporter: like never before, a new baby is a bundle of joy for california's economy. a future worker. a future taxpayer, and a future buyer for your home. trouble is, according to researchers, there aren't enough women having babies. that spells potential crisis for the future of the state. >> i want to get married, have a career, all these things. most of my friends feel the same way. i think our generation wants to wait longer. we don't really see ourselves with kids in our 20s.

>> maybe it's the economy. and everybody is just more focused on making sure they have enough for themselves first. >> we peaked in california in 1990. it's been downhill since then. >> reporter: dell myers from usc sees a convergence of troubling trends. on top of a declining birthrate, there is a growing senior population. that means a shortage of doctors and caregivers in the supply pipeline to serve the aging. >> basically, there's almost twice as many seniors now per working-age person, or there will be, than there have been traditionally. >> reporter: aggravating factors are declining education opportunities and a higher cost of living in california. fewer people are coming to the state, including undocumented workers. myers says the state needs all of them, including the dream act students. >> now they're going to say this. because without the immigrant kids, we would be in a deep hole. >> reporter: a worst case scenario, an eroding tax base. the government demanding more

from lower income people. and the future of this baby, a potential revolt. >> this boat won't float if that continues. >> reporter: miriam hernandez, abc 7, eyewitness news. >> that's pretty fascinating. you wouldn't think that. i mean, a lot of countries have problems with not having enough babies, but you wouldn't think the state of california doesn't have enough kids. >> in 2011, the u.s. had 63 births per 1,000 women. compare that to the baby boom generation, 122 births per 1,000 women, women of child-bearing ages, 15 to 44. >> are you going to do your part? you've got two. >> i might. i've always wanted four. >> you better get going. >> my husband counts, so i have three. it's one of the most heroic jobs in the world, walking into fire to do battle and save lives. >> up next, we'll see what a firefighter sees on the job and hear what he goes through in the middle of an inferno. it's all from his perspective and it's all coming up on "world news now."

>> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our abc stations. what does home feel like? it's in the faces of americans who built generations of memories in their home and then saw it slipping away. until friends they have never met, turned out to lend a hand. for more than 30 years,

♪ goodness gracious, great balls of fire ♪ ♪ you came along and moved me honey ♪ finally this half hour, an extraordinary up-close look at one of the most dangerous jobs in america. this is one of our "favorite stories of the day." >> how about that? it comes from a young firefighter who wore a camera on his helmet for an entire year on the front lines in greater detroit. abc's john schriffen has the story. >> reporter: this is what it's like to walk into a burning house. the first thing you feel, the scorching heat. temperatures can reach more than 500 degrees. you can feel the heat right through your fire suit. inside, it's noisy. it's disorienting. the smoke in your eyes. while one of the big fears is beneath your feet, while you

take each step, will the floor give way? >> if you're not safe, you can't really do a good job for the people yourself -- you're supposed to be helping out. so, that's always in your mind, your own safety. >> reporter: for a full year, 27-year-old scott ziegler filmed his day job, with a camera mounted on his helmet, capturing blaze after blaze near detroit, michigan. >> that could be on any fireman's helmet. that video could be in anyone's town. >> reporter: he's been a firefighter since he was a teenager. he says his mother worries about him. he said he wanted to show people what it's really like inside a burning building. at a time when his department and others around the country are being forced to fight more fires with fewer resources. >> looking at it, you can kind of tell, that looks pretty dangerous, because it is. it is very dangerous. so if they can take anything away from it, maybe their town they live in is talking about cutting their funding. maybe they can look at that video and think those guys do a dangerous job. it seems to be that they might need more people than less.

>> reporter: it's a unique perspective with unique lessons to be learned. zeigler says it's crucial to plan ahead. >> people should have floor plans of their house. teach your kid if your house catches on fire, run drills so they can get out and not worry about anything else. >> reporter: get out and wait for help. help coming from ziegler and thousands of firefighters who put their lives at risk every day. and then come back for more. john schriffen, abc news, new york. >> wow. that's an amazing perspective. >> some job. >> there's 800,000 volunteer firefighters. the whole reason he did this is to show what they have to do day in and day out, because they're fighting cuts in their particular county. in highland park. and they wanted to show the leaders there and officials this is what we go through on a day-to-day basis. >> that's a tough order. i had to wear the gear for a day. unbelievable. you have to be in great shape. >> kudos. big plans.

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all right, everybody, it's time for "the mix." i love this first one. it's brilliant. a software developer fired after his bosses learned that he outsourced all his work to china and spent all day in the office surfing the web. it's awesome. >> in the office? >> listen to this. he was called bob. they're not giving his name. he's in his mid-40s. family man. praised by his superiors for being the best software developer in the building. and he did this not only at this company, but at other companies allegedly. and he made hundreds of thousands of dollars outsourcing $50,000 a year of his own work to china and then submitting it. and they got on to him. they found out in a security breach that all his computer activity was originating in china. then they figured out the whole ruse. >> rob is actually outsourcing his job to us these couple of days. >> we're working for him? >> i like that. you have to outsmart the system. changing gears a little bit. we're going to go down into the dumps a little bit for this

story. if you have ever had a nasty intestinal infection that you have had to deal with. >> paula? >> i'm serious. 14,000 people a year die in the united states from this. rather than treat it with an antibiotic, researchers in the netherlands say you can treat this with fecal matter from a healthy person. basically, it's a defecation transplant. >> it's a poop transplant. >> it's a poop transplant. it's a poop-plant. basically, you take the healthy fecal matter from the healthy person and you transplant it into the person having all of these gastrointestinal issues. listen to this. >> this is a real story? >> it cured 15 of the 16 people who had recurring infections and ant biotics cured only 3 of 13. sporadically for years, this was used as a last resort. but now -- >> that is amazing. if you're ever in a bind, i'll help you out. i'll donate. >> oh, that was a good one.

>> that's for you. enjoy your breakfast, everybody. this is a good one. subway sandwich. they make that foot-long subway sandwich. a guy in australia took out a tape measure and found out it's only 11 inches. >> no! >> size matters, paula. >> shrinkage. >> it lit up on line. a lot of those jokes. like, just came out of the pool. play with it a little while and it will grow. these are all the comments that were on the facebook site. but subway has not commented yet. but in fact, it's about 11 inches. >> speaking of shrinkage, you want to see your grandmother on a stripper pole? may be one of the oldest women strip dancers ever. this is a 60-year-old woman from china. she decided to take it up. because she liked the beauty and athleticism. her husband approved. but was concerned because of a previous back injury that she had. >> rock it, grandma. >> grandma's got some moves.

this morning on "world news now" -- americans captured. >> armed terrorists ambush oil workers and abduct 20 people. this morning, u.s. officials are calling it a terrorist act. it is thursday, january 17th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm john muller in for rob nelson. >> and i'm paula faris. we'll have the latest on that attack in just a moment. but first some of the other stories we're following for you on this thursday morning. president obama unveiling his gun control plan. but he faces a pretty tough fight. what changes the president is proposing and how his ideas are being met. also this half hour, if you're kicking it with the energy drink, there's a new warning about some new drinks and what's in the can. we'll tell you all about that. tens of thousands of people are ending up in the hospital. emergency rooms are filling up after people drink this drink. what doctors say it's doing to your body. >> i think the mantra is everything in moderation, right?

>> absolutely. >> you shouldn't consume four in a short period of time. >> yeah. too much coffee makes you crazy. >> strong coffee makes me jittery, among other things. she's in her 40s but looks way younger. kelly ripa revealing a key beauty secret. why she says it makes her makeup artist's life a lot easier. i think it makes her perkier, too. >> there you go. >> does she ever have a bad day? >> no, she's superwoman. she's unbelievable. first, new details on that hostage drama unfolding in the sahara desert. at least three americans are among those being held. >> abc's chief global affairs correspondent martha raddatz is traveling with the defense secretary, who is in italy, watching every move. >> reporter: secretary panetta says the u.s. will take all necessary steps to deal with this crisis. u.s. officials believing that as many as three americans are now being held but caution the numbers are fluid. it all began when 20 armed islamic militants, believed to be affiliated with al qaeda,

approached a group of oil workers. the attackers were reportedly heavily armed, driving in three unmarked vehicles. the oil workers were on a bus, headed to a nearby airport. there was a fight. security forces for the workers battled back. when the smoke cleared, at least one foreign worker was dead. others wounded. the terrorists then headed to the compound where the gas refinery workers live. while it is unclear how many foreign workers they seized, sources say it could be as many as 15 to 20. along with the americans, there are british, norwegian, french, and japanese workers, too. the attackers claim this is retaliation for the french-led invasion in the african nation of mali. the french are trying to stop an al qaeda-linked group from taking over that country. algerian troops have now surrounded the gas field where

the hostages are being held, but they are moving cautiously. secretary panetta compared the terrorists to 9/11 attackers who have little regard for innocent life. martha raddatz, abc news, rome. and president obama is piling the pressure on congress, urging lawmakers to pass his new gun control proposals. mr. obama had schoolchildren on stage with him yesterday as he called for a new assault weapons ban, background checks on virtually every gun sale, and restrictions on high-capacity ammunition clips. he also conceded that getting new gun laws passed is going to be tough. >> if responsible gun owners, if americans of every background stand up and say, enough. we've suffered too much pain and care too much about our children to allow this to continue, then change will -- change will come. that's what it's going to take. >> the president also signed 23 executive actions, all meant to improve existing gun laws.

one of them makes more data available for background checks. one helps get security officers for schools that want them. it is important to note that with those executive actions, policy directives are not needed for congressional approval, as well. so this is coming directly from the white house, directly from president obama's chair. he's cracking down. he wants to reinstate a ban on assault-style weapons. ban high-capacity magazines, which a small majority of americans approve of and a large majority want to see stricter laws when it comes to background checks and getting authorized. >> it's going to be a tough sell, no doubt about it. the president's new proposals facing uncertain future in the congress. the nra fighting against them even before they were unveiled. the group's new ad calls mr.

obama an elitist hypocrite. because his children attend a school protected by armed guards. the white house called the ad repugnant and cowardly. authorities are stepping up efforts to track down a serial bank robber who doesn't hesitate to use his assault weapon, a $100,000 reward being offered for tips leading to the arrest of the so-called ak-47 bandit. the suspect held up at least five banks last year in california, idaho and washington and he shot and wounded a police officer. the fbi believes that he's waiting to strike again. >> wow. the aurora, colorado, movie theater at the center of last summer's mass shooting is officially reopening today. 2,000 tickets are being handed out to the survivors of the massacre, hospital workers and first responders. some survivors and relatives of the 12 people kill plan to attend. others are boycotting the event. investigators in london are looking into whether the weather may have played a role in yesterday's deadly helicopter crash. the pilot and one person on the ground were killed, 13 others injured during the rush hour accident. it was overcast at the time with poor visibility. officials say it was a miracle

that more people weren't killed. and here at home, the faa has ordered all dreamliner aircraft grounded over the risk of battery fires. united is the only u.s. carrier flying the boeing 787s. the faa says battery fires could result in damage to critical systems and structures on the aircraft. air india and two japanese airlines have also ordered them out of service. a bizarre story centering on notre dame linebacker manti te'o. it seems his girlfriend and her death were all an elaborate hoax. back in september, the news was that te'os' girlfriend died of leukemia. hours after his grandmother passed away, that news broke. now he admits she was an online girlfriend and a private investigation ordered by notre dame confirms that te'o was duped. >> the thing i am most sad of, sad about is -- sorry.

that the single most trusting human being i've ever met will never be able to trust in the same way again in his life. >> a notre dame source tells espn that te'o was not involved in creating the hoax. in a statement, he called the whole thing confusing and incredibly embarrassing. embarrassing to say the least. >> definitely. he called this woman, who he had never met in person. he chatted with her, texted with her, he talked via phone. he called her the love of his life. and to have something like this -- you find this out. and think about this, too. the national championship game. he's playing this, and they continue to talk about the death of his grandmother and the emotions he played with after the alleged passing of his girlfriend. he knew at that time, the time of the national championship game, that he had been duped. because this information came out in december, and he approached notre dame and they launched an investigation into the situation and found out. there was -- the photographs

that were being used to replicate his girlfriend, that girl went to an investigator and said, they're using these pictures of me and it's not me. and that's kind of how the ball started rolling there. >> strangest story. >> it really is. >> feel bad for him. >> you do. you have to. he's now preparing for the draft. hopefully he can move on. the head of the country's biggest bank when it comes to assets is taking a dramatic pay cut. jpmorgan chase is slashing the pay of ceo jamie dimon by more than half. so that brings it down from $23 million to $11.5 million. the move is in response to the bank's staggering $6 billion trading loss last year. but a report from the bank places most of that blame on other executives. >> they cut our pay to $11.5 million, we're striking, paula. >> the nerve. >> the nerve of that. can you imagine? >> what kind of winter sports do you like to partake in? >> i like to go south in the winter and play golf. that's what i like to do. i don't ski. i don't do a whole lot of anything. >> there's a new sport taking off.

an amateur daredevil in canada is attaching parachutes to snowmobiles. >> wow. that's an interesting one. >> have you ever tried that? >> i've never tried that. i have snowmobiled in the past. >> have you parasailed? >> no. >> that looks highly dangerous. >> it looks cool though. >> willis says it looks stupid. stupid but cool. >> snowmobiles are pretty heavy. >> yeah, they are. >> that's rob. >> is that rob? >> that's rob. >> and everyone, visualize, in you will, rob is with his girlfriend and her parents, they are skiing right now. >> skiing? >> who knows, maybe that really is rob. >> a visual that will warm you up. rob is para snowmobiling. or whatever that is called. something crazy. >> would you try it? >> no. i have children. maybe before i had kids i would have been dumb enough to try it. >> daredevil farris. all right, coming up, buried alive. a woman tells how she kept calm and survived being trapped inside an avalanche.

but first, the opposite of calm. some say caffeine is the last frontier of unregulated dangerous drugs. but now a new push to crack down. it's all coming up on "world news now." ♪ coffee in bed ♪ >> announcer: "world news now" weather brought to you by lunesta. lunesta. have given way to sleep. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling

occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. and you'll dump your old duster. but don't worry, he'll find someone else. ♪ who's that lady? ♪ who's that lady? ♪ sexy lady ♪ who's that lady? [ female announcer ] swiffer 360 duster extender cleans high and low, with thick all around fibers that attract & lock up to two times more dust than a feather duster. swiffer gives cleaning a whole new meaning.

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rooms after drinking them. >> i guess i should be forewarned, i love energy drinks. >> do you really? >> but a new government survey finds that 20,000 people went to the e.r. after downing energy drinks in 2011, twice as many as four years earlier. abc's lisa stark put herself to the test to show why. >> reporter: on youtube, downing these energy drinks is a game. lots of fun. >> on your mark, get set, go. >> reporter: but this new government study calls consumption of energy drinks a rising public health problem. of those 20,000 emergency room visits in 2011, 42% had mixed the energy drink with another stimulant like ritalin or with alcohol. but 58% reportedly used energy drinks alone. so what might be going on to send someone to the e.r.? >> blood pressure goes up, heart

rate goes up and they'll start to feel the effects. heart racing, heart skipping. panic attack symptoms. irregular heart rhythms. panic attacks. >> reporter: caffeine is a drug. the most popular drug in the world. you can feel and see the effects on the body. i downed the equivalent of about four cups. doctors took a look at my brain before caffeine. and here's after. the bloodflow dropped 40%. >> it's like a 40% drop in the blood flow to your brain. that's a lot. >> reporter: that lower blood flow is still within normal range. but those constricted vessels meant my blood pressure shot up. a cup of coffee alone won't send you to the e.r. and the most popular energy drinks have less caffeine than that strong cup of coffee you buy out. so what's going on here? >> there's other substances in them which are completely unregulated which can add to the stimulant nature of the drinks. >> reporter: the trade association representing the beverage industry said the drinks are safe and denounced the hospital study, saying the limited information makes it impossible to understand the actual role, if any, of energy drinks in these hospital visits. still, doctors are calling for a

whole lot more study. and are on the lookout for the next patient to come through the door. lisa stark, abc news, washington. >> wow. and the e.r. doctors seeing these folks that are consuming the energy drinks at a high level say they come in with irregular heartbeats, anxiety. and heart attacks. if i have too much caffeine, i can feel my heart palpitating. i feel jittery. >> when i first started drinking coffee, i used to get that. i don't think it's possible for me to have too much caffeine anymore. i'm so into it. but i used to get paranoid. i felt like i was being chased. anxious. that's like, the perfect word. >> my husband doesn't drink coffee but loves energy drinks. that's another market they're going after. >> there you go. coming up, kelly ripa revealing a secret to her younger look. it's all coming up. and he was shunned for an oscar nod. but find out how ben affleck could still have the laugh last at the academy awards. you're watching "world news now." >> announcer: "world news now" continues after this from our ñsñs

♪ skinny so skinny skinny in the house! >> ouch. >> willis is awake this morning. that was loud. >> that sounded like it hurt. >> okay. so if you've seen "argo qurks ts i think the unanimous conclusion is that it's a fam louse film.

i saw it. everyone, a standing ovation at the end of it. it already has won critic's choice awards and a golden globe. but ben affleck is not on the ballot as best director. which is somewhat crazy. this could become only the fourth film in 85 years to win the award without a corresponding nomination in the best director category. but there are two experts who are saying he might be able to get that write-in vote. which is pretty rare. there are two experts that are speculating this. but the three films that have won without a corresponding nomination for best director, "grand hotel," "rings," and "driving miss daisy." >> wow. >> how about that? >> put him on the ballot. >> academy awards -- oscars are february 24th, if you're curious. >> are you one of those people that are all geeked up about the oscars? >> no. you know what? i don't get into all the awards ceremonies.

>> you must be the only chick in the whole country. >> i know. horrible. oh, this is sad, conrad bain, mr. drummond from "different strokes" passed away at the age of 89. he died monday night in california, according to tmz. details scant. his daughter confirmed the news and said "he was an amazing person, a lot like mr. drummond, but much more interesting in real life, and an amazing father." he appeared on 179 episodes of "different strokes" which ran by the way, from 1978 to 1986. do you feel old now? >> i always feel old. that just reinforces the antiquated feeling. that was a classic show. >> what you talking about, willis? >> and i loved that -- i felt like back in the day when we were growing up, they had shows that tackled social issues. >> yeah. >> i love that show. >> gary coleman was so good in that show, wasn't he? >> yeah. >> i loved that show. kelly ripa, i don't think she ever has a bad day. she's always perky in terms of her demeanor and her face. she admitted in a recent interview with "elle" magazine that she gets botox. is anybody shocked here?

>> no, i'm not shocked. >> i think everybody gets botox these days. she says she -- >> willis doesn't. i don't need it by the way. yet. >> she says every seven months, my eyelids can rest on my lashes. so it makes my makeup artist's life easier. i haven't had botox, but i've got about five wrinkles here induced by the children. i'm not opposed. maybe one day. maybe a little work one day. other areas. >> absolutely. absolutely. right, when we get dhthat big, huge contract some day. let's talk about shakira, she's showing off her baby bump. i think we have some pictures of this. check that out. pretty cool. >> that's lots of soccer balls in there. >> they're doing something very nice. they say instead of a baby shower, they want to give money to unicef. so if you want to donate and help children around the world, go online. >> very cool. she looks amazing. >> she does look great. help children around the world, go online. >> very cool. she looks amazing.

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♪ ♪ i'm a survivor i'm gonna make it ♪ finally this half hour, this next story may take your breath away. in utah on saturday, an avalanche swallowed a back country skier, burying her in several feet of snow. >> but because so much went right after that, she's alive this morning and now she's telling her harrowing and brave story. here's reporter noah bond of our phoenix station. >> reporter: elizabeth malloy remembers vividly what it was like to be trapped inside a moving avalanche. >> i was flailing, yes. i was swimming. >> reporter: then the snow stopped. >> i decided the best situation for me is to meditate and breathe really slowly. >> reporter: when the snow settled, elizabeth's skiing partner, adam, found himself above the avalanche. elizabeth is alive today because she was wearing an avalanche beacon and adam had a receiver. >> i immediately picked up the signal.

and again, that reaffirmed that she was buried somewhere. >> reporter: after three passes, he found her in cement-like snow, face down, and head down the mountain. >> she had begun to turn purple. i did my best to clear out an area for her to breathe. >> reporter: moments after getting her out, elizabeth essentially died, her breathing stopped, but soon returned. adam pulled three jackets from elizabeth's backpack and put them on her body and wrapped her exposed foot in a down jacket she had. this saved her foot from permanent damage. her hands and feet were frozen so badly, blood flow stopped to the right fingers and toes. she was flown to the university of utah hospital after a two-hour hike out. she knows she almost died, but says getting so close to it was eerily calm. >> it was like having a little nap and i remember being woken up by sweet kisses. >> what a story.

>> she's so calm to tell about it, as well. >> what did she say? she said she felt a sense of serenity that took over her while she was under the snow. >> i think i would panic. >> so she definitely has a good demeanor. >> and she created a pocket of air so she could breathe. but they say even if you create that pocket, you only have about 10 to 15 minutes before you die because of carbon monoxide. >> exactly right. >> no cell phone service where that avalanche happened. but adam, the gentleman that was with her, found a spot and called rescuers. it took the helicopter two hours to find them. >> two calm, cool people. >> amazing. >> totally. >> namaste. >> that's "world news now" for this half hour. more from abc next. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now." informing insomniacs for two decades.

this morning, americans held hostage. >> new developments overnight from the remote nation where they were ambushed and kidnapped by terrorists. we have new details about the ruthless al qaeda leader that brought them into that hostage situation. grounded. after a week of mishaps, a new setback for the world's newest jumbo jet, the boeing dreamliner. duped. the search for answers after a notre dame star learns his cancer-stricken internet love never really existed. the school responding overnight. and a fashion first. something you didn't know you needed. jeans that soften your skin. they even fight fat. >> what? good thursday morning, everybody. i'm john muller, in for rob nelson. >> and i'm paula faris. algerian troops have now surrounded the compound where at least three american hostages and perhaps a dozen others are

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